Programmable Hearing Aids
Posted by CENTURY HEARING
What is a programmable hearing aid? A programmable hearing aid is tuned to your specific needs. Or in the case, according to the audiogram.
Lets step back and define a few terms here.
A hearing aid has a little brain called a microchip. The microchip is called an EEPROM . An EEPROM stands for Electrically Erasable Programmable Memory Device. That means you can enter data into the microchip by sending special programming software signals to create the desire outcome. In this case. To manipulate specific frequencies according to a persons audiogram or hearing test results.
Lets make this a little easier to understand. A hearing Aid is like a stereo equalizer.
A stereo equalizer is a sound device used to adjust the amplification of sound at a variety of frequencies. Frequencies in this sense refers to the pitch of a sound - Low to High Pitch. Some folks like Frank Sinatra, and love to hear is low pitch voice. So they boost the lower frequencies - in this case, 50hz to 125hz to 250 hz. Stereo Equalizers you do not program, but you do manually adjust the frequencies sliders to your hearing taste. With Frank Sinatra you would push the first 4 sliders on the left up - turning up the gain.
A Programmable hearing Aid is a very much the same type of device as a stereo equalizer. The intentions are the same - to manipulate sound.
How this works is, The hearing aid that takes the data which is read from the audiogram (hearing test), which is then entered into a computer PC Graphic User Interface Application - or Programming Software, which translates that data into special programming software signals, which programs the hearing aid, according to the exact hearing loss. Take a look at these images below. Lets start with the Audiogram or hearing test results.
Step 1. The Audiogram (that is the results from the hearing test - charted on paper) This is what you see if you went into an Ear Nose and Throat Doctor, put on headphones and took a hearing test.
Step 2. The Programming Software
The information from the audiogram is entered into the Programming Software
(Looks the same as the audiogram right?)
Then we "program" the software - in this case we "autofit" Autofit instructs the Software Applications to program the hearing aids according to audiogram numbers.
The programming software sends the data signals to the hearing aid, according to the exact hearing loss.
To adjust the specific frequencies, we go to "Fine Tuning" You can see very specific frequency adjustments just like the sliders in the stereo equalizer...
Look Familiar right? These adjustments or sliders are called "bands". Bands are specific frequencies in the sound spectrum. Bands are used to control volume or gain at different frequencies. This allows us to adjust more volume in a specific area of your hearing loss without affecting other areas where you might need less volume.
All "hearing Aids" sold today are programmable to an audiogram. And they should be. Your hearing loss is unique. You wouldn’t dare buy a pair of prescription glasses on the web without consulting your eye doctor because your glasses need to be tailored according to the unique attributes of your vision loss. Buying hearing aids is exactly the same. So get an audiogram first.
There is one caveat to that. Reading Glasses And Personal Sound Amplifiers.
Do you want to program your hearing aids at home? We may have a solution, contact us at 888-295-2944
Lets step back and define a few terms here.
A hearing aid has a little brain called a microchip. The microchip is called an EEPROM . An EEPROM stands for Electrically Erasable Programmable Memory Device. That means you can enter data into the microchip by sending special programming software signals to create the desire outcome. In this case. To manipulate specific frequencies according to a persons audiogram or hearing test results.
Lets make this a little easier to understand. A hearing Aid is like a stereo equalizer.
A stereo equalizer is a sound device used to adjust the amplification of sound at a variety of frequencies. Frequencies in this sense refers to the pitch of a sound - Low to High Pitch. Some folks like Frank Sinatra, and love to hear is low pitch voice. So they boost the lower frequencies - in this case, 50hz to 125hz to 250 hz. Stereo Equalizers you do not program, but you do manually adjust the frequencies sliders to your hearing taste. With Frank Sinatra you would push the first 4 sliders on the left up - turning up the gain.
A Programmable hearing Aid is a very much the same type of device as a stereo equalizer. The intentions are the same - to manipulate sound.
How this works is, The hearing aid that takes the data which is read from the audiogram (hearing test), which is then entered into a computer PC Graphic User Interface Application - or Programming Software, which translates that data into special programming software signals, which programs the hearing aid, according to the exact hearing loss. Take a look at these images below. Lets start with the Audiogram or hearing test results.
Step 1. The Audiogram (that is the results from the hearing test - charted on paper) This is what you see if you went into an Ear Nose and Throat Doctor, put on headphones and took a hearing test.
Step 2. The Programming Software
The information from the audiogram is entered into the Programming Software
(Looks the same as the audiogram right?)
Then we "program" the software - in this case we "autofit" Autofit instructs the Software Applications to program the hearing aids according to audiogram numbers.
The programming software sends the data signals to the hearing aid, according to the exact hearing loss.
To adjust the specific frequencies, we go to "Fine Tuning" You can see very specific frequency adjustments just like the sliders in the stereo equalizer...
Look Familiar right? These adjustments or sliders are called "bands". Bands are specific frequencies in the sound spectrum. Bands are used to control volume or gain at different frequencies. This allows us to adjust more volume in a specific area of your hearing loss without affecting other areas where you might need less volume.
All "hearing Aids" sold today are programmable to an audiogram. And they should be. Your hearing loss is unique. You wouldn’t dare buy a pair of prescription glasses on the web without consulting your eye doctor because your glasses need to be tailored according to the unique attributes of your vision loss. Buying hearing aids is exactly the same. So get an audiogram first.
There is one caveat to that. Reading Glasses And Personal Sound Amplifiers.
Do you want to program your hearing aids at home? We may have a solution, contact us at 888-295-2944
SHARE:
